Josh Smith returned to the Atlanta Hawks' lineup Friday night, about 2? weeks after undergoing hernia surgery.

Smith had the operation on Dec. 26 and was expected to miss two to four weeks. The 6-foot-9 forward wound up needing the low end of the recovery period.

"I feel good," Smith said before the Hawks hosted the Detroit Pistons. "I was going to come back next week, but I felt real good at practice. So I was telling myself, 'I might as well go today.'"

The Hawks went 1-7 during Smith's absence.